A large question is if the “skill atrophy” is more than just having to lean on AI and if it contributes to broader mental decline over time. Years down the line we might have a huge bump in dementia. People aren’t using it to manage information that was merely beyond their reach like tools to date, they are offloading writing communication. Saw someone proudly proclaim the use LLMs to write all their comments in online discussions, which seems absurd.
I will say that at least some folks I know personally that went all in on conversational AI use now seem… Off compared to before when talking to them face to face.
Note that the discussions were at least intended to be an earnest debate. However, since one was using LLM he was skipping the critical thought portion and just trying to use an LLM to fake engagement but to try to just re-emphasize their perspective.
While flooding the field with bullshit low quality content isn’t new, this is a whole new level of disengagement.
However, since one was using LLM he was skipping the critical thought portion and just trying to use an LLM to fake engagement
This presupposes sincere engagement prior to LLMs. You’re assuming this guy wasn’t just regurgitating talking points cobbled up the old fashioned was, as though repeating lines you heard from Jordan Peterson or JD Vance on a Joe Rogan podcast.
Alternatively, that this person remains totally sincerely in their beliefs and simply leverage the LLM to recall obscure, vaguely remembered historical details. Or to clean up their poor grammar or clumsy prose.
LLMs have no impact on critical thinking in either case. At least, no more than spell check or a Wikipedia fact lookup or a brain saturated by other people’s professed views.
While flooding the field with bullshit low quality content isn’t new, this is a whole new level of disengagement.
The argument that someone is “using LLMs” becomes a superficial excuse to disengage.
And hey, maybe that’s good. Maybe less people treating the Internet as a real place with sincere people will convince folks to engage more in MeatSpace.
But “technology is making us dumber” is a line I see floated endlessly. It reads more as misanthropy and elitism than any real critique of the new technology
A large question is if the “skill atrophy” is more than just having to lean on AI and if it contributes to broader mental decline over time. Years down the line we might have a huge bump in dementia. People aren’t using it to manage information that was merely beyond their reach like tools to date, they are offloading writing communication. Saw someone proudly proclaim the use LLMs to write all their comments in online discussions, which seems absurd.
I will say that at least some folks I know personally that went all in on conversational AI use now seem… Off compared to before when talking to them face to face.
How is that any different than the million bot farms that already exist?
Like, shit posting isn’t a critical value added skill.
Note that the discussions were at least intended to be an earnest debate. However, since one was using LLM he was skipping the critical thought portion and just trying to use an LLM to fake engagement but to try to just re-emphasize their perspective.
While flooding the field with bullshit low quality content isn’t new, this is a whole new level of disengagement.
This presupposes sincere engagement prior to LLMs. You’re assuming this guy wasn’t just regurgitating talking points cobbled up the old fashioned was, as though repeating lines you heard from Jordan Peterson or JD Vance on a Joe Rogan podcast.
Alternatively, that this person remains totally sincerely in their beliefs and simply leverage the LLM to recall obscure, vaguely remembered historical details. Or to clean up their poor grammar or clumsy prose.
LLMs have no impact on critical thinking in either case. At least, no more than spell check or a Wikipedia fact lookup or a brain saturated by other people’s professed views.
The argument that someone is “using LLMs” becomes a superficial excuse to disengage.
And hey, maybe that’s good. Maybe less people treating the Internet as a real place with sincere people will convince folks to engage more in MeatSpace.
But “technology is making us dumber” is a line I see floated endlessly. It reads more as misanthropy and elitism than any real critique of the new technology